Skin tensioning accessory for shavers



Dec. 13, 1955 R. v. MILLER 2,725,443

SKIN TENSIONING ACCESSORY FOR SHAVERS Filed Feb. 23, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 13, 1955 R. v. MILLER 2,726,443

SKIN TENSIONING ACCESSORY FOR SHAVERS Filed Feb. 5, 9 9 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-5 Fl6.4

IN V EN TORI Dec. 13, 1955 R. v. MILLER 2,725,443

SKIN TENSIONING ACCESSORY FOR SHAVERS Filed Feb. 23, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR! @mmz/miv United States Patent 2,726,443 SKIN TENSlDNlNG ACCESSORY FOR SHAVERS Raymond Vernon Miller, New York, N. Y.

Application February 23, 1949, Serial No. 77,815

10 Claims. (CI. 30-34) This invention relates to the combination with a shaving head of means for adjustably tensioning the skin, when the shaver head is moved over the face, while permitting the pressure of the tensioning means against the faceand the pressure of the shaver head against the face to be independent of each other. The skin-tensioning feature is also equally applicable to a massaging head and to a safety razor using a blade.

This invention is an improvement over existing devices in several basic respects which provide better cutting of the beard close to the skin. A skin-tensioning device, to be effective in shaving, must exert strong and effective stretching action on the skin throughout its operation, including when passing over hard bones close to the skin as well as when passing over the yielding cavities between the bones. This requires a pressure that is much too heavy to be safely applied to some shearing tools or a sharp blade pressed against the face. Such a device, to be eifective in actual use, also requires a wide range of free and independent movement of the skin-contacting element toward and away from the face, entirely separate and apart from the pressure with which the blade or tool may be pressed against the face. This invention provides these requirements. It permits the delicate adjustment and control of pressure of the tool or blade against the changing contours of the face, that is so essential in eflicient shaving, while at the same time it allows heavy pressure to be independently applied against the face by the tensioning element traversing different facial contours.

To secure efiective results from a tensioning device of this character it is necessarry to arrange the parts so that only the skin-tensioning element in advance of the moving shaver head is allowed to contact the skin. This invention, as applied to shavers and massaging heads, therefore includes means for automatically retracting from the face the tensioning element that becomes the rear element, the moment that the direction of movement of the shaver head over the face is reversed. This produces a new and better result because in a device of this type an element to the rear in frictional contact with the skin destroys the very tautness that is sought.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an enlarged view showing a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial side elevation showing mechanism for varying the pressure exerted by spring 10. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view along line 44 of Fig. 5, showing an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial plan view showing mechanism for increasing the tension exerted by the spring 10. Fig. 6 is a view along line 66 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1-A is a composite view showing the assembly and interrelation of the details of construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 withFigs. 1, 2 and 6. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, partially broken away, showing an optional arrangement for mounting a spring to urge the tensioning element against the skin, including the means for adjusting 'the pressure exerted by that spring, and also a catch to hold the skin-tensioning element out of contact with the skin.

In Figs. 1 and 2, 2 indicates diagrammatically an electric shaver head, massaging tool or similar tool, secured to a supporting frame having side rails 1 connected by upper and lower rails 3. The side rails project suificiently to provide supports for axles 4 passing through holes therein. Each axle has at each of its ends an oscillating arm 5, the two arms 5 of each axle being connected at their ends remote from the axle by a cross-member 6. Secured to each cross-member 6 is an arm 7 with a skinengaging portion 8, of the shape shown, and suitably formed, as by having' grooves as shown, or roughening, so as to cause a pull on the skin as the element is moved over it under pressure. The line of the skin is diagrammatically indicated in the drawings by the line X-X. A lug 9 forms part of each oscillating arm 5 on one side of the device, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A tension spring 10 attached as shown in Fig. 1 urges the ends of these two lugs toward each other; this, in turn, urges the skincontacting elements to resiliently contact the face.

An alternate arrangement using separate springs 11 for urging the skin-contacting elements toward the face is shown in Fig. 7. Each of these springs normally urges its corresponding pair of oscillating arms 5 toward the face, thus causing element 8 to resiliently contact the face with such degree of pressure as is transmitted from spring 11 which has its fixed bearing against side rail 1. The pressure exerted by spring 11 is adjustable by means of the screw 46 threaded into lug 47 attached to arm 5 as shown in Fig. 7.

The above described construction permits a Wide range of movement toward and away from the face for element 8 while it remains under this spring pressure urging it toward the face.

The structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 provides means to hold out of engagement with the face the skin-contacting element that is to the rear of the shaver head. The element in advance of the shaver head is always urged toward the face by pressure from spring 10. The mechanism is arranged so as to reverse this action, in

order that the unwanted element will always be retracted away from the face, as the assembly is moved back and forth over the face.

The full lines in Fig. 1 show the relative positions of the operating parts when the assembly is being moved upward by the hand of the user. (In this case the upper skin-contacting element is engaging the skin, but the lower element is out of engagement.) The lower parts 6, 7 and 8 are shown in their inoperative positions during this upward movement. The dotted lines indicate the extreme outboard position (toward the face) which the skin-contacting elements can take, when the facial contours are such as to require this position. The range of movement, toward and away from the face, of the skincontacting elements is indicated by comparing the upper dotted element with the lower element, in Fig. 1. The upper element, oscillating arms and lug are similar to the lower element, oscillating arms and lug, respectively. It will be observed that, with the structure shown, when the movement of the assembly is changed to a downward movement by the hand of the user the relative positions of the operating parts will be interchanged from that indicated in Fig. 1.

Hand lever 12, having an upper portion 13 and a similar lower portion 14, is shaped to surround and contain the rear portion of the shaver body, and it has one end pivoted at 15 ona strap attached to each side of the shaver body. Each pivot 15 is journaled on a longitudinal strap 16 connected to side rail 1 of the supporting frame on itsrespective side. The end of each strap 16 near pivot 15 is fastened to a ring 17 suitably shaped to fit around the shaver body at that point.

Extension 18 forming part of the upper portion of lever 12 projects from one side of lever 12, as shown, in such manner as to engage upper lug 9 which forms part of the oscillating arm that is pivoted on upper axle 4; the lug extends about at right angles to the oscillating arm. Extension 19 forming part of the lower portion of lever 12, and which is similar to extension 18, projects from the side of lever 12, as shown, in such manner as to engage lower lug 9 which is similar to upper lug 9 and which forms part of the oscillating arm 5 that is pivoted on the lower axle 4; this lug also extends about at right angles to the oscillating arm.

Figs. 1A, 3, 4 and 5 show details of construction that may be used to vary the pressure exerted by spring which forces the skin-contacting element toward the face. With this construction the pressure may be instantly varied while the device is being employed in the operation of shaving. Any degree of pressure within the entire possible range of variation may be instantly obtained.

A rod 48 joins two levers 49, pivoted on pins 50 which are journalled in the upper portion 13 and the lower portion 14, respectively, of handle 12, as shown. The ends of upper and lower levers 49 remote from their ends joined by rod 48 are bent toward each other and are connected by a finger lever 51 shaped to be conveniently operated by the first finger of the hand of the user that grasps the handle 13--14 during the operation of shaving. Extension lug 52 forms part of rod 48 at its middle point. In Fig. 5 the dotted lines indicate the relative positions of the parts when no pressure is applied on finger lever 51; the full lines indicate the positions when the finger lever has been pressed close to the shaver body. Fig. 3 shows in a side view the positions of the parts represented by the full lines in the plan view of Fig. 5. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that lug 52 has been pressed against the spring 10 near its middle point by pressure from finger lever 51, thereby pushing the middle of the spring forward and increasing its length (because the ends of the spring, being hooked into notches on the upper and lower lugs 9 are prevented from moving forward). This stretching of spring 10 increases the tension in the spring that urges the upper and lower lugs 9 toward each other. This, in turn, increases the pressure with which skin-contacting element 8 is pressed against the face. Lever 51 can be instantly placed anywhere within its entire range of movement, and either held there or moved elsewhere, while the shaving operation is in progress. This enables the degree of skin-stretching to be instantly varied by the user to best suit the different portions of the face, as the assembly is moved across the face.

Fig. 7 shows a detail of means that may be used for holding the skin-contacting elements temporarily locked in the inoperative position when so desired, as when inserting the shaver within the device. A conventional type of catch 20 frictionally pivoted on each axle 4 and having at its end a hook 21 for engaging cross-member 6 is provided. A lug 22 forming part of catch 20 near the pivot, as shown, when pressed upon by cross-member 6 (moved toward the pivot by the hand of the user) automatically pushes hook 21 into operative position, thus locking the cross-member and temporarily holding element 8 out of contact with the skin. When it is desired to again place element 8 into operative position, lug 22 is pressed by the hand of the user toward the crossmember 6. This releases the cross-member from the hook 21.

The sizes of supporting frame 13 and ring 17 are such that the shaver body can be inserted within them from the head end; a wedge 23 (Fig. 6) is forced between the shaver body and rail 3 of the supporting frame to secure the shaver within the device.

In the simplest form of the device, suitable for oneway operation of the skin-tensioning mechanism, lever 12 and its supports can be omitted entirely, and only one skin-contacting element is employed. In this case both the upper and lower lugs 9 are also omitted, and the shaver body itself forms the handle by which the user holds the assembly. In this case the thumb of the user is employed to retract the element out of contact with the skin whenever the direction of movement of the shaver head would cause the element to follow the head.

Obvious changes in construction can be easily detailed by those skilled in the art. It is to be noted that such modifications do not depart from the spirit of this invention.

The operation of the construction just set forth will now be described. The shaver is first placed within the device by pushing both the skin-contacting elements toward the supporting frame far enough to allow the shaver body to enter between them; wedge 23 is pushed between shaver body and rail 3 of supporting frame. Portions 13 and 14 of lever 12 form a handle by which the hand of the user holds the assembly. The shaver head is pressed against the face with the desired pressure toward the face, and is moved upward on the face. The full lines in Fig. 1 show the relative positions of the parts as handle 1314 is moved upward. This upward motion causes lower portion 14 of lever 12 to be brought close to the shaver body. This movement of lever 12 on its pivot 15 causes extension 18 to move upward with respect to upper pivot 4; this, in turn, causes extension 18 to push the upper lug 9 upward and to hold it there as long as the handle is being moved upward; this results in lower element 8 being held out of contact with the face, as shown in Fig. 1. Lug 19, at the same time, is also moved upward by this movement of lever 12 to a point where it gives complete freedom to lower lug 9 to move upward; this, in turn, causes upper element 8 to move toward the face, as urged by spring 10, to a point limited only by the dotted position in Fig. 1; thus allowing the element 8 to enter yielding cavities between bones, or to extend itself beyond the curve of the jaw bones, independently of the position of the shaver head with respect to the bones and cavities.

Pressure from spring 10, Fig. I, normally urges the skin-contacting elements toward and into contact with the face, as shown in the case of the upper element in Fig. 1. As portion 14 of lever 12 is moved upward toward the shaver body, and the movement of the as sembly is continued upward, the upper skin-contacting 8, being free to be pressed toward the face under pressure from spring 10, pulls the skin upward at a point always just in advance of the shaver head, as the element passes frictionally over the skin. This action stretches the skin and levels out the furrows, thus holding up the bases of the hairs in the heard for close shearing by the shaver head.

When the upstroke illustrated in Fig. l is changed by the hand of the user so as to become a downstroke, however, the upper portion 13 of lever 12 is brought close to the shaver body. This movement of lever 12 on its pivot 15 causes extension 19 to move downward with respect to lower pivot 4; this, in turn, causes extension 19 to push the lower lug 9 downward and to hold it there as long as the handle is being moved downward; this results in upper element 8 being held out of contact with the face. Lug 18, at the same time, is also moved downward by this movement of lever 12, to a point where it gives complete freedom to upper lug 9 to move downward; this, in turn, causes lower element 8 to move unhampered toward the face, as urged by spring 10, in the same manner as the upper element was caused to move during the upstroke.

Best results require that when the skincontacting element 8 pas ses over hard bones close to the skin, a ditferent amount of pressure toward the face should be applied to the element than when the element passes over the yielding cavities between the bones. Certain portions of the beard where the hairs grow in a peculiar fashion require greater than normal pressure to make the hairs stand out from the furrows of the skin. The number of days growth of the beard since it was last sheared, is another factor that requires variation in the amount of pressure applied to the tensioning element, as well as to the shaver head. Also, difierent users require different amounts .of pressure to suit varying types of beard structure and growth. By merely pressing the finger lever 51 nearer to the .shaver body as greater pressure is desired, an important new result in the shaving operation is provided by this device. The user can instantly adjust the pressure of the skin-contacting elements against the face, during the operation of shaving, to the exact amount desired at any given time, by pressing one finger against the lever. It will be noted that this pressure against the face by the skin-contacting element is independent of the pressure that may be applied against the face by the shaver head.

The wide range of movement toward and away from the face permitted for element 8 causes that element to move into the yielding fiesh cavities between cheek, jaw and chin bones, while also permitting the element to move outwardly as it passes over the hard portions of the facial contour overlying those bones. The element thus maintains a steady tension in the skin when traversing both the hard and soft portions of the face. This new result is essential for etficient shearing action. The shaver head, meanwhile, is varyingly pressed against its diflferent portion of the face with such amount of independent pressure against the facial contours as is required for close shaving. The even and eflicient stretching of the skin thus produced permits a heavier pressure against the skin from the shaver head than would otherwise be safely usable. This results in clean shearing of the beard right at the skin line the first time the head passes over an area.

I claim:

1. In a shaving device having a cutting edge adapted to be moved in a stroke plane over the surface of the skin bearing the hairs to be cut, the combination of an attachment including a support, independent of and secured to said device, with said attachment including a curved skin depressing member in advance of said cutting edge in the direction of its shaving stroke, and spaced from and in proximity to the cutting edge, means secured to said support for supporting said member to the shaving device, resilient means for moving said member substantially perpendicularly to said stroke, independently of the position of the cutting edge, in return direction after said member has been moved by the skin substantially perpendicularly to said stroke in the opposite direction, and means varying the resiliency of said resilient means, whereby when the shaving device has been applied to the skin for the cutting of the hairs, said member indents the skin in advance of the cutting edge by being resiliently urged against the skin in advance of the cutting action of the hair, said pressure on the skin being independent of the pressure of the cutting edge on the skin.

2. In a shaving device having a cutting edge adapted to be moved in a stroke plane over the surface of the skin bearing the hairs to be cut, the combination of an attachment including a support independent of and secured to said device, with said attachment including a curved skin depressing member in advance of said cutting edge in the direction of its shaving stroke, and spaced from and in proximity to the cutting edge, means secured to said support for supporting said member, said last named means including an elbow lever pivoted to said support, and having one arm extending to said member, and resilient means in the form of a tension spring having one end secured to other arm of the elbow lever at the end remote from the pivot, with its other end fixedly secured for moving said member substantially perpendicularly to said stroke plane, independently of the position of the cutting edge, in return direction after said member has been moved by the skin substantially perpendicularly to said stroke plane in the opposite direction, whereby when the shaving device has been applied to the skin for the cutting of the hairs, said member indents the skin in advance of the cutting edge by being resiliently urged against the skin in advance of the cutting action of the hair, said pressure on the skin being independent of the pressure of the cutting edge on the skin.

3. The structure of claim 2, in which a shell is pivoted to the shaving device, an abutment supported by said shell, in the path of movement of the arm connected with the end of said spring, to limit the extent of movement of the said member when under the action of the spring, and to move said member by the shifting of the pivoted shell.

4. The structure of claim 2, in which two matching reverse elbow levers are each pivoted to said support, and have said member at one end of one arm of each of said levers, with the other arm of each of said levers joined to said tension spring thereby connecting said last named arms, a shell pivoted to the shaving device, a pair of spaced abutments supported by said shell, each abutment in the path of movement of each of said spring connected arms, whereby when said shell is moved in one direction on its pivot, one of said abutments presses against said spring connected arm to pivot the elbow to move its member to the near side of the stroke plane, out of skin engagement, and space the other abutment from its corresponding spring pressed arm to enable the spring to press the member against the skin in the oif side of the stroke plane.

5. The structure of claim 2, with means for varying the tension of the spring.

6. The structure of claim 2, with means for locking said member in inoperative position out of contact with the skin.

7. The structure of claim 2, with means for varying the pressure of said member against the face, said means being accessible to the hand of the shaver while the shaving device is in the operative position of shaving.

8. In a shaving device having a body provided with a beard cutting member movable in a stroke plane, having a support secured to said body, a skin-tensioning element having a skin-engaging portion, means mounting said element on said body for movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to said stroke plane, and spaced from and in proximity to said beard cutting member, said movement of said skin-engaging portion extending from a first position to a second position, said first position being substantially distant from said stroke plane on the side of said stroke plane opposite to the location of said body of the shaving device with respect to said stroke plane, said second position being substantially distant from said stroke plane on the side of said plane opposite to said first position with respect to said plane, spring means connected between said support and said skin-tensioning element for urging said skin-engaging portion of said skin-tensioning element into said first position where the skin-engaging portion will engage the skin of the user of said shaving device before said stroke plane meets the skin of the user as said shaving device is pressed towards the skin of the user for the shaving operation, means connected to said body automatically causing said skin-engaging portion to be urged toward said first position whenever the movement of said body by the hand of the user across the face of the user during the shaving operation is in a first direction extending from the longitudinal axis of said shaver body toward said skin-engaging portion, said means connected to said body also automatically causing said skinengaging portion to be urged toward this second position whenever the said movement of said body by the hand of the user is in a direction opposite to said first direction.

9. The device of claim 8 in which there are two skintensioning elements, one on each side of said beard cutting member.

10. The device of claim 8 in which there is a second similar skin-tensioning element similarly mounted on said body on the side of said beard cutting member opposite to said first skin-tensioning element, in which said means connected to said body automatically moves said skin' engaging portion of said second skin-tensioning element into said first position whenever the direction of said movement by the hand of the user is in a direction from said longitudinal axis of said body toward said skinengaging portion of said second skin-tensioning element, and in which said means connected to said body automatically moves said skin-engaging portion of said second skin- 15 tensioning element into said second position whenever the direction of said movement by the hand of the user is in a direction which causes said second skin-tensioning element to follow behind said beard cutting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Boulter Feb. 4, 1919 Roger July 13, 1920 Jaccard Aug. 29, 1922 Janes Jan. 5, 1937 Segal May 31, 1938 Rand Aug. 22, 1939 Fulenwider Apr. 23, 1940 Weiland Mar. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy July 13, 1939 Great Britain July 16, 1940 

